Somehow reading these articles hardly feels like voyeurism. The story is public, at least one of the participants is a bit famous, the marriage is dead.

Between the lurid little titbits of domestic gossip, some sort of universal moral message might even emerge: Once a Philanderer Always a Philanderer, or Sex Isn't Everything, or Don't Pay More Attention To Your Career Than Your Marriage. Spilling the dirt post-divorce is now such an intrinsic part of marriage that newspaper serial rights should be written into any pre-nuptial agreement.

Last week, the first marriage of the comedian and actor Hugh Dennis was revisited by his ex-wife. He had “no spontaneity, no sense of fun”, she confided under the headline ‘Hugh Dennis was so boring I divorced him’.

A few pages later in the same paper, the first marriage of the actor Nigel Havers was disinterred. According to the former Mrs Havers, he was serially unfaithful. Even Princess Diana was after him.

Both former wives were given the double-page spread treatment in a paper so obsessed by such matters that it could rename itself The Sunday Adulterer.

Revealing the ancient secrets of a dead marriage, a very modern form of betrayal, is in its way nastier, more cold-hearted, than infidelity.

For example, to be portrayed, based on behaviour two decades previously, as a crashing bore would be unpleasant for anyone — far worse than the Havers love-rat option — but, when the target earns his living from making |people laugh, the accusation is professionally as well personally harmful.

Who is not a bit dull inside a marriage? Surely the freedom not to sparkle around the clock is part of the institution's attraction.

Besides, these things tend to be subjective. By contrast, Mrs Dennis boasts rather sadly, she has “travelled the world”.

It is pointless to argue that moving about is not synonymous with being interesting — indeed, it can be a reliable indicator of dreariness.

The point is that what happened, or failed to happen, between the young Mr and Mrs Dennis should be of no interest to anybody.

A broken marriage is a tragedy. It reflects a bad choice by two people, or a good choice that became bad. It is a joint enterprise, for which both people have responsibility.

The Press will always be willing listeners, knowing that we, the weak-willed readers, will find titillation and reassurance in the lives of the famous.

An apparently harmless interview will be shaped so that a small nugget of resentment, mentioned in passing, becomes the headline. Those involved, probably including the vengeful spouse, are left feeling undignified, hurt and maybe a touch silly.

As for those of us on the outside, harmful lies about marriage are reinforced: there is no shared responsibility, no intimacies need remain private if things go wrong but, even alone with one who shares your life, you should always be slightly on your guard.

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